Rotary multicolor-printing machine.



E. J. W. MULLER.

ROTARY MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 1,1913.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

4 SHtE'ISSHEEf l M44, Atty.

E. J. W. MULLER.

ROTARY MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, 1913.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

4- SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Inventor:

E. J. W." MULLER.

ROTARY MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7. 1913.

1 1 70,84 1 Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3- Inventor:

WV/ZZM E. J. W. MULLER.

ROTARY MULTICOLOR PRINTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 7, I913.

Patented Feb. 8, 1916.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

Banner 3'. w. MULLER, orjnnw Yoax, N.

.Y., assiGNon-ro msarcelv BANK NOTE 7 comraivr, A conroRArIoN -orinw roan.

ao'ra'mr munrrcononfram rine micnmn.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb-8,1916.

Application filed June 7, 1913. se ial No. 772,227.

Toallwhomitmayconcem:

Be it known that I, ERNEST J. W. MULLER, a citizen of the United states, residing at the borough of Brooklyn,in the city of New York, county of Kings, and State of New York, have-invented certain new and useful Improvements in Rotary Multicolor-Printing Machines, of which the following is a v specification, reference being had therein to been impo$ible to' the accompanying part thereof.

My invention relates to rotary multi-color printing machines, and'more particularly to that type. thereof known as photogravure presses.

drawings, which form a In the printin art, photogravure'presses. differ from all at er types of presses 1n 'ce'r-.- 'tain essentials,

tion may be morereadily understood, 1. will A describe-briefly. the more important distincand in order that my inven tions between photogravurework and other printing methods.

The plate used'upon a photogravure press is an intaglio plate, usually an acid-etch copper plate, and the inkis applied to this plate by a single roller, immersed influid ink contained in the font. The font, the inking roller and the heated to maintain fluidity-ofthe ink, surplus ink being removed from the top or nonprinting portion .of the plate surfaceby a scraper or doctor bar. The ink used hasa waxy vehicle so as to be extremely quick drying,-and the impression is made upon a dry sheet of paper. Henceit' will be seen that photogravure work plate printing, differing therefrom, however, in the manner of applying the ink, in

the manner of cleaning the non-printing surface and in the character of the ink-'used.

There is the further diiference that insteel plate engraving,

the paperupon which the impressionis made is previously dampened. There are other and minor differences not necessary. to refer to herein.

Heretofore, in hotogravure work,

' roduce a multi-color design in whichthe difi'erent 'colorsare in register with a single feeding operation, particularly in 'view of the fact that offset printing is not applicable to this class of work because of ties of the ink used.

With these conditions inmind, the main object of my invention'is to provide a rotary printing press especially adapted for form surface are all is similar to steelit has 4 throughout the design when desired. And

the quick drying properphotogravure work, wherein a: multi-color imprint may be made with a single run of the press, the 'difierent'portions of the de- Sign "of different colors being-inregister uponthe printed sheet.

A further object is to provide a press of ing perfect register or a clean line of demarcation between different colors entering into a design.

A still furtherobject is to provide a press of this character'wherein the several color impressions may be made by a continuous operation of the machine, thus insuring perfeet registera-nd increased capacity.

Astillfurther object is to provide a press of thischaracter embodying therein a printing mechanism consisting of a single im pression' cylinder and a plurality of plate or form cylinders, each having-an independent ed inking mechanism, wherein said impression cylinder-and saidform or plate cylinders "may be simultaneously thrown out of the printing relation without disturbing the relation of each plate or form cylinder and its inking mechanism- A still-further object is to provide a press of this character wherein the ink fonts and rollers may be removed from the machine independently of each other, and of the scraper or doctor bar.

A still further object'is to provide in a A machine of this character, means disposedv between succeeding plate or form cylinders, whereby a sheet of paper passing through the press will have the ink thereon thoroughly dried prior to the succeeding impression, thus avoiding smutting or smearing -of each preceding impression and permitting a perfect register of the different colors, and the use of plates upon succeeding plate or form cylinders, of the same dimensions, as well as the dispersion of different colors a still further object is to provide a printing machine of this character wherein the operation of parts may be synchronized, and

the plate or form cylinders-may be so ading therein a sequence 0 form or plate cylmachine embodyinders, an inking mechanism adapted to cooperate with the plates upon each of said cylinders, an impression surface for each of said cylinders, and means intermediate succeeding cylinders whereby the ink upon the paper will be dried while passing from one cylinder to the other; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are hereinafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawings :-.Figure 1 is an elevation of one side of a press embodying my invention, Fig. 2 is an elevation of the other side of said press; Fig. 3 is an elevation of the delivery end of the press; Fig. 4' is detail view of the ink fontsand the parts appurtenant thereto; and Fig. 5 is a detail view of the mechanism for throwing the impression cylinder and the form or plate cylinders out of the operative relation.

Like letters refer to like parts throughout 1 the several views.

In the accompanying drawings, I have shown only the printing mechanism and the parts appurtenant thereto, omitting the feeding and delivery mechanisms, any type of which may be used in connection with my invention.

In the'drawings, I have shown a type of press adapted to be used in connection with a continuous paper web, althoughsingle.

sheets of paper may be used by adapting to my invention a feed and delivery mechanism capable of handling single sheets.

In the form of my invention shown in the drawings, 1 indicates the frame of the machine, 2 the main power shaft, and 3 the gear train connecting said power shaft with the main gear 4, for actuating the printing mechanism.

Mounted in the frame 1 is an ordinary blanketed impression roller 5. carried by the same shaft as the gear 4. Grouped about the cylinder 5 is a plurality of plate or form cylinders 6, 7, the ends of which have mounted thereron the gears 8 and 9 respectively, meshing with the gear 4 so as to cause said plate or form cylinders to be rotated at the same peripheral velocity as the cylinder To permit the circumferential adjustment of the cylinders 6 and 7, for the purpose of securing the proper register, I provide the gears 8 9 with segmental slots as shown in Fig. 2, said gears being secured to their respective cylinders by means of bolts for, the purpose of facilitating this adjustment.

Each of the cylinders 6, 7 is mounted in bearings adjustable toward and from the axis of the impression cylinder 5, and adjustment screws 10, 11, acting upon each hearing are provided so as to permit the setting of these cylinders in a manner to secure the requisite pressure between the cylinder or plate thereon and the impression roller.

Each of the cylinders 6 and 7 is provided with a heating device interiorly thereof,'

common in this and analogous types of machines. In the machine shown 1n the drawings, I contemplate the use of an electrical resistance heater, drawing its current from the disk contact 12, 13, carried by said cylinders respectively, and the opposed contacts, 14 and 15,.connected with the conductor 16 17 leading to any desired source of 1 tric bushings for raising or lowering the f impression cylinder for the purpose of throwing it out of the operative relation f with all of the plate or form cylinders simultaneously. V

Each. of the eccentric bushings 18 19 is provided with a crank 22, 23, which cranks are connected by the adjustable links 24 25 to the cranks 26 27 upon the shaft 28, having .secured thereto an elongated handle 29. By this construction I am enabled to throw the impression cylinder out of the operative relation to the plate or form cylinders, when desired, and to throw it into the operative relation in a manner to develop the requisite high pressure between the plate or form and the impression cylinder.

Associated with each of the cylinders 6, 7, is an inking roller 30 31 adapted to be partially submerged in the ink contained in the font 32, 33, respectively, and to apply ink therefrom to the plates or cylinders upon said cylinders 6, -7. Beyond these inking rollers 30, 31 respectively are the scrapers or doctor bars 34, 35, which project at an angle toward and bear upon the plates or cylinders upon the-cylinders 6, 7, in the general direction of the direction of rotation of these cylinders.

The scrapers or bars 34, 35 aremounted in adjustable heads 36, 37, carried by lat-,

orally reciprocatable slides 38, 39. The lateral movement of the scrapers or bars distributes the wear thereon and-removes ink from the top or non-printing surface of the cylinders in a manner to prevent streaking. The heads 36, 3.7 are pivotally mounted upon the slides 38, 39, and are set so as t secure the desired intimate relation between the bars 34, 35, and the plates or cylinders upon the cylinders 6, 7, by means of the adjustment screws 40, 41.

. Upon one side of the machine is a shaft 42, driven from the main power shaft 2 by the shaft 43 and beveled gears 44, 45, 46 and 47. Mounted upon the shaft 42 are the cocentrics 48 and 4.9, inclosed by the straps 50 and 51, which straps are connected res ectively by pivoted links as 52 with the slides 38 and 39. By this construction, both of the slides are continuously reciprocated whileithe press is running.

when only two form or plate c linders are used, the construction hereto ore described'and shown in the drawings may be used to advantage, but if the number of form or plate cylinders be increased, indopendent means for actuating said slides might be required.

he font 33 is mounted upon slides on the frame 1, and acting upon said font are the set screws 53,54, mounted in arms 55, 56, carried upon the rod 57. The arms 55, 56, are adapted to belocked' upon said rod 57 by means of the set screws 58 and 59, a construction which permits said arms when released from said rod to be dropped to afford a-clearance for the removal of said font. The use of movable and adjustable means for positionin the font 33 s made necessary because 0 thefact that the doctor bar 35 overhangs and projects within said font and some such construction is necessary to permit the handling of said font in a manner topermit its withdrawal past the doctor bar.

The font 32 is located upon supports between the slides 38, 39, and'its inking roller 30 is located 'insideof the vertical diameter of the plate or form cylinder 6. This construction necessitates supporting means for said'font 32s0constructed and arranged as tojpermit this font to be dropped when re- 4 moving it from the machine to a point where it ma pass'below the slide 38 and: permit the in ing roller 30-the reof to clear the cylinder'6. "This supporting means comprises the pivoted angle arms 60, 61, the longarms of which are adapted to engage the bottom of the font=32 adjacent the outer end thereof, and theshortfarms of which are adapted to engage'the adjustable stop screws (i2and 3 carried upon the swivels 64 and 65. "By this construction, the font 32 and its inking roller 30 may he raised by means of the adjustable stops'62 and 63 to develop the desired pressure of theinking roller upon the plate or cylinder upon the form or plate cylinder 6, and the support for the outer end thereof may be removed at any time by turning the swivels 64 and- 65, thus permitting the entire font to he dropped within the frame 1 and removed from the machine.

The manner of mounting the ink fonts and their ap urtenances is necessitated by structural di iculties encountered in grouping a lurality of printing cylinders and the inking mechanisms appurtenant thereto abouta single impression cylinder. 'Iho actual inking mechanism "employed is substantially like'thc inking mechanism common. to photo'gravure presses, and no claims pression.

for said inking mechanism per .96 are made herein.

While the inks used in photogravure work are quick drying, fairly hard inks, the difiiculty encountered in producing a photogravure press'capable of producing multicolor work has been that the ink oes not dry sufiiciently rapidly under normal conditions to permit successive impressions in different colors to be taken. Vith a high speed press, and in this sense the term hi h speed is used merely comparatively, as tie speed of a photogravure )ress is always low compared to that of a. hig speed type printing press, the ela sed time between impressions is very sligit. To obviate this difficulty, I provide means between succeeding late or form cylinders whereby the paper in passing from one cylinder to the other is acted on in a manner to thoroughly set the ink after each impression has been taken. This means comprises, in the form of the invention shown, a plurality of nozzles extending axially of the impression cylinder and directed theretoward, whereby air, which may be chilled, is continuously projected upon the printed surface of the paper, thus expediting the setting or drying process of the ink so that before it passes to the next plate or form cylinder the ink will be thoroughly dried, thus permitting the takingof a second impression without likelihood of smearing or smutting the first im- In the accompanying drawings, these means for setting or drying the ink between impressions comprise an airline 66, leading to the distributing tubes 67 having a plurality of reduced openings therein. This distributing tube is positioned in close juxtaposition to the surface of the impression cylinder 5, so that the air delivered toward said cylinder will be diffused in a manner to act'upon the entire surface of the pager between the cylinders 6 and 7.

arried by the frame 1. above the impression roller 5 are guide rollers 68, 6t), 70 and 71, about which a paper web is adapted to be threaded in feeding it to and delivering it from the delivering mechanism. One of these rollers as 70 is loosely mounted upon the shaft 28.

The operation of the herein described machine is substantially as follows; The f nt. 33 is mounted upon its slides and brought into position with the ink roller 31 engaging the plate or cylinder upon the cylinder 7, the arms and 56 are raised until the screws 53 and 54 engage the end wall of said font, and the set screws 58 and 5!) then set upon the rod 57, to hold said arms in position. The screws 53 and 54 may then be ad usted to properly position the font and the ink roller. The inner end of the font 32 is then placed upon its slides with the outer end thereof lowered, and the outer end subsequently raised within the doctor. bar slide 38. The arms and 61 are then swung so as to engage the bottom-of'said font, the swivels 6t and being used to bring the stop screws 62 and 63 into engagement with the short arms of said levers. These stop screws, (Hand 63, may be adjusted to raise or lower the font 32 slightly to bring the inking roller 30 into the proper position relative to the plates or cylinders upon the cylinder 6. The fonts may be removed by reversing these operations. The machine is now in condition for operation, and a web is threaded theretbrough, or sheets are fed thereto, in any desired manner. The eccentric bushings l8 and 19 are then rotated by means of the handle 29, shaft 28, cranks 26 and 27, links 24 and 25 and cranks 22 and .23, forcing the impression cylinder 5 downwardly and developing the requisite pres sure between said cylinder and the plates or cylinders on the form or plate cylinders 6 and 7.. When power is applied to the machine, the impression cylinder 5. will through its gear 4 be rotated, the cylinders 6 and 7 bein rotated at the same peripheral velocityby tdie gears 8 and 9 carried thereby and in mesh with the gear 4. As the rollers 6 .and 7 ,are rotated, they will, through frictional engagement, rotate the inking rollers 30 and 31, respectively, causing said rollers to deposit upon the surface, and force ipto the intaglio lines, of the printing plate or cylinder, ink of the different colors carried in the respective fonts 32 and 33. The doctor bars or scrapers 34 and 3:) bearing upon the surface of the plates or cylinders upon the cylinders ti and 7, respectively, will remove the ink from the non-printing or top surface of the plates or cylinders, the lateral reciprocatory movement of said scrapers or bars preventin unequal wear of these scrapers or bars and a resultant streaking of the plate. The ink removed from the top or nonrinting surface of the plate or cylinder wi 1 be restored to the fonts 32 and 33 respectively. As the portion of the plate or cylinder upon the plate or form cylinder 6 reaches the rinting position, it will impress the intaglio design therein upon the paper in one color, and the paper will then pass to the cylinder 7, the plate or cylinder upon which has been inked in the same manner as the plate or cylinder upon the cylinder 6, and the paper will receive another impression in accordance with the design upon the plate or cylinder thereon, but in a ditl'erent color. \Vhile the paper is passing from one cylinder to the other, it will be continuously subjected to the action of the air jets from the tube 67, so that before the impression is made in one color, the ink of the preceding color will be thoroughly dried or set upon the paper. If it be found that the different colors do not register, either cylinder 6 or 7 may be adjusted eircumferentially by releasing the bolts attaching them to the gear 8 or 9. It will thus be observed that by running the paper once through the machine, a multicolor impression may be secured, and that ditl'erent colors may be caused to have perfect register. Furthermore, the drying or setting of the ink of one impression before making a subse nent impression in a differontly colored in i, will prevent smnttmg or smearing of preceding impressions by the non-printing surface of succeeding printing plates or cylinders.

If desired, one color may be. partially superimposed upon another, although this is not as a rule desirable, nor necessary, as perfeet register can be secured and transparent colors are not adapted for use in photogravure work.

The impression cylinder 5 may be thrown out of the printin relation to the plate or form cylinder 6 or t by means of the mechanism controlled by the handle 29.

The adjustment screws 10 and 11 may be used to bring the cylinders (i and 7 into the desired operative relation to the impression cylinder 5 or either of these screws may be used to throw either cylinder out of the printing relation thereto so as to permit the machine to be run upon a single color.

Throughout the specification I have used the term plate or cylinder carried by the cylindersti or 7 and in so doing have refcrred to the common practice of using continuous copper cylinders bearing the intaglio design commonly used in photogravnre work. and to ordinary, semicylindrical etched plates bearing the intaglio design, which may be substituted therefor.

I believe it to be broadly new in a photo gravure printing machine. to provide. a sequence of plate or form cylinders each having associated therewith asuitable inking mechanism, which cylinders areadapted to make-successive impressions in different. colors while paper is running once through the machine, and furthermore, to provide means intermediate the succeeding printing cylinders for setting or drying the ink upon the paper after the making of one impression and-before the making of a succeeding impression.

It is not my intention to limit myself to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawings, it being apparent that such may be varied without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent. is: V I

1. A rotary multi-color printing machine embodying therein a main frame, an impression cylinder mounted therein, a plurality of form cylinders mounted in said frame below the impression cylinder, a laterally reciprocatory doctor bar mounted in said frame adjacent and bearing upon the plateson each of said form cylinders, a removable ink-font slidable upon said frame toward and into engagement with the plates on one of said form cylinders, means securing said font in position relative to said cylinder, an ink roller carried by said font, an ink-font associated with the other form cylinder, supports therefor intermediate said doctor bars, an ink roller carried by said font, adjustable means whereby one end of said font will be supported and may be raised or lowered to develop the requisite pressure between the said inking roller and the plates on said cylinder and said font and said inking roller may be dropped below said form cylinder and the doctor bar associated therewith to permit the withdrawal and removal of said font and its roller, and means for projecting a setting medium toward said impression cylinder intermediate said form cylinders.

2. A rotary multi-color printing machine embodying therein a sequence of form or plate cylinders, an ink font for each of said form or plate cylinders, an inking roller for each said font adapted to apply ink therefrom directly to the plate or cylinder upon its plate or form cylinder, a doctor bar or scraper for each said font adapted to remove ink from the top or nonprinting surface of said plate or cylinder and return it to said font, whereby a plurality of impressions in different colors may be consecutively made upon a single run of the paper through the machine, one of said fonts being arranged between said doctor bars or scrapers, one end of said font being supported by the frame of the machine and the other end thereof being supported by a plurality of oscillatory levers, one arm of which respectively engages the bottom of said font, and the other arm of which is adapted to be engaged by an adjustable stop, and supports for said stops whereby said levers may be oscillated to permit the end of said font to be dropped beneath one of said doctor bars or scrapers, and the inking roller carried by said font may be moved toward or from its plate or form cylinder, an impression surface for each of said cylinders, and means intermediate succeeding cylinders whereby the ink upon the paper will be dried or set while passing from one cylinder to the succeeding cylinder.

In witness whereof, I have hereunto affixed my signature, in the presence of two subscribing witnesses, this 23d day of May,

ERNEST J. w. MULLER.

Witnesses EUGENE WENING, CLARIoE FRANOK. 

